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The Adepts
"I will rise again." The Nazoreans are elite members of the Order of Infinity. Believers in Jesus of Nazareth, from whom they take their name, they are Adepts reborn as Nazoreans only after their deaths. A Xtrian member of the Infinite Order simply dies... and returns later as an immortal Nazorean. AKA: Living Saints. Patriarch: Jesus of Nazareth. Recruitment: Christians / Order of Infinity Signature Powers: The Names of God True Immortals Facts: -Not every Xtrian Adept who dies becomes a Nazorean. It simply happens when it happens, whenever God wills it to happen. -Nazoreans are Revenants and Immortals. They were once dead and have returned from the afterlife, and they are now immortal. While they can be killed again through decapitation or piercing the heart, Nazoreans cannot die from old age. -Are strongest at dawn = Nazoreans experience an adrenaline high at dawn, granting them a half-hour of increased strength and stamina. This will occur even if they are inside or underground. -Like the Indwelt, Nazoreans hold a Shekinah, a physical manifestation of God Himself, within their very bodies. However, their Shekinahs are stable and so they do not suffer the explosive powers that Indwelt learn to harness as a weapon. -Can only be killed by piercing the heart = Jesus of Nazareth was stabbed through the heart with a spear. Subsequently, any wound that doesn't pierce a Nazorean's heart or sever his head will only wound him or put him in a semi-permanent coma (but he will eventually recover from even this). To kill a Nazorean the heart must be pierced or somehow cut open, even a nick will do, but the blow must sever the walls of the heart which act as the tabernacle for the Shekinah. Without the Shekinah, the Nazorean's soul is forced back to heaven - and their body collapses to the ground, a corpse once again. -Although Nazoreans cannot die except by decapitation or piercing the heart, and although they can heal extraordinarily fast if they expend Kenosis to do so, they still suffer normal drawbacks of human physiology upon damage. If they lose enough blood, they can fall unconscious. If they are hit hard enough on the head, they can enter shock or suffer amnesia, etc. -Immunity to Intense Light = Bright lights do not hurt the eyes of Nazoreans, even if a mortal's retinas would be burned out by the same intensity of light. Nazoreans are creatures of the Light, not the Darkness. -Night Blindness = Conversely, while Nazoreans are children of the Light and can see in it, they have reduced vision in very dim lighting or near Darkness. They aren't totally blind but definitely have a hard time making out shapes or movements in the dark. -Wedlock = Nazoreans have full reproductive capabilities, although offspring, if there are any, are born normal mortal babes. Most Nazoreans choose not to have children because of the 'awkwardness' of raising a child who you will outlive by several lifetimes. Also, while Nazoreans still have full reproductive powers, they lack the animated sex drives of mortals. Their physiology is different and they feel emotion and intimacy differently now. -Ambiogenesis = Neophyte Nazoreans have a reduced need to breath, eat, sleep, or drink. They can go days or weeks without sleep. And Elder Nazoreans may not need any at all. A Nazorean houses a Shekinah, a fiery manifestation of God's Spirit within his own body, with the heart acting as the Tabernacle or exact place of indwelling. That Shekinah is what powers him, keeps his body ageless, and heals him. Thus, he has no need for food, drink, sleep, or even air to breath - everything is supernaturally supplied by The Shekinah. -Run on Kenosis, a measure of their connection to Christ. A Nazorean's connection to his or her's own Shekinah is called Kenosis. This refers to a Nazorean's spiritual state of affairs, since that is how he is connected to God. -Nazoreans are renowned for their endurance and ability to withstand damage that would kill most others. Nazorean bodies heal fast and thus can take more damage then most, their stamina is high even by Supernatural standards. -Are allergic to Olive Wood (causes sever blistering, inflammation with light contact; heavy contact causes bleeding and tissue damage). This strange weakness of the Nazoreans causes them to suffer irritating pain or even damage from the prolonged touch of olive wood. Thus, they avoid it. -Raised body temperature: Nazoreans can be made out in a crowd of people with thermal cameras, since The Shekinah causes their bodies to give off a greater amount of heat. -A common form of decision making among Nazoreans is to cast lots. This is more then simply pulling straws, prayers are said and petitions made to God for His' guidance in the casting of lots. The idea is that the casting itself is a method for seeing which decision God favors. -In a way, Nazoreans both do and do not possess Variants. Their physiology tends to remain constant, but depending on the types of Names they acquire, and how often they use them, Nazoreans may lose or pickup new supernatural traits. They traits may or may not be permanent, again it depends on what they do with their Names. -Because they are immortal and Christian, Nazoreans will have easier access to Church Lore and Secrets of the Order (Infinite Order). -The Nazoreans are a huge Tribe with many branches going off in all sorts of directions. There are Nazorean fundamentalists, artsy types, liberal hippies, military professionals, scientists, etc. Nazoreans come in all shapes and sizes and professions. -The Nazoreans have only formally been around in the last two thousand years. Yet that time period has seen the rise of modern civilization and unprecedented technological advancement. Coincidence? -Some Nazoreans predate the time of Christ, since Christ appeared to many Old Testament characters. While often referred to as Proto-Nazoreans, this is only a semantic designation. Proto-Nazoreans are Nazoreans in the fullest sense. -Talented or Elder Nazoreans who show a proficiency in a particular kind of power may be called the 'Saint' of that. For instance, a Nazorean who masters powers of fire, heat and anger could be called the Saint or Righteous Fury or the Saint of Rage. This is an undefined practice, however, and many modern Nazoreans have dropped it. -Like all Theists, Nazoreans thirst for knowledge. Only through knowledge can they learn new Names and understand the concepts behind them. -Technically, all Nazoreans are de facto Monodominants. Remember that they believe the Patriarch of their Tribe wasn't just a man of God... He was God according to them. -Other Supernaturals can use Invocation to some extent, but only Theists have the ability to invoke all of the Names of God. They believe this is because their Patriarch was The Word, the fullness of God's plan. -Like all Infinity Adepts, Nazoreans are resistant to Translation Errors when traveling between Dimensions. Invocation: Nazoreans are Infinity Adepts & can use the power of Invocation if they have Holy Names, Names which are so existentially empowered that the very act of speaking them affects reality itself. These Names are collected and protected by the Invokers who keep them listed in Litanies, often scrolls or books whose sole purpose is to list the Names and their nature and effects. Also known as Saint Sorcery, the powers of Invocation can be used by Storytellers to to accomplish any feat necessary to push the plot line ahead. A powerful Nazorean can accomplish supernatural effects of Biblical proportions. Notice that the Nazoreans don't have Factions or Sects. This is because differentiation among the Nazoreans is already done according to what Names they have and use the most. For example, a Nazorean in a royal family will posses Names that are royal in nature, and thus possess powers like those wielded by the King Adepts. It needs to be stressed that Invocation is not magic, you don't put a coin into the machine and get the same thing out every time. Most Names, especially smaller, simpler ones, will produce the same effect time and again, but sometimes The Almighty might see fit to tweak the results and cause something different, for whatever reason. *If you're trying to create your own Holy Names but can't think up any new ideas as to what powers they cause, try visiting the Superpower Wiki for inspiration. Names for God is also a great source. '' ''*Simply reciting a Name will only produce a basic power of that Name. Mastering a Name of God means acquiring 'True Understanding,' which means knowing everything about that Name; it's history, it's connections, what it implies for other things, etc. Invocation and the acquiring of Knowledge go hand in hand, because the more understanding someone has, the greater their specific understanding of Holy Names. *Some Names are 'banned' by either the State or Church, these kinds of Names are known as Forbidden Theology. *Invocation allows Storytellers and players to 'hijack' the systems of power or magic from other gaming systems and borrow them for use in a Nazoreans story (or they could always make their own). Instead of magic, however, the characters would use the recitation of Holy Names. For instance, Lord of Flames would give a Nazoreans access to powers of fire, etc. '' ''*To Invoke a Name, a Nazorean can either speak the Name or write it down or even draw a symbol representing it. A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Olive Wood Allergy: Nazoreans are allergic to Olive Wood. It causes sever blistering, bleeding, prolonged exposure can cause huge whip-like wounds to appear in their flesh. It is excruciating for Nazoreans to endure all this. It is important to note that the Nazorean's skin must come in contact with the wood. Any barrier, no matter how flimsy, will halt the allergic contact. When a Nazorean does encounter Olive Wood, black veins appear and his skin immediately swells, the nerve endings flare which causes amazing pain, and prolonged exposure causes "whip-like" scars to form on the back and other posterior areas of the body. The reason for this malady is ominous... Attributes: "The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many." Attributes are super-human levels of skill the immortal Nazoreans are able to attain over time. They can do this by want of their long life span. Attributes are not supernatural powers: they are raw skill. Young Nazoreans generally don't have these, but you see them developed among those with whole centuries under their belt. -Perfect sense of time and distance: the Nazorean can just look and know the distance of a space, also he has a perfect sense of the passage of time. -Power of Foresight: the Nazorean's mind can calculate his surroundings so superbly, he can practically know the future for up to five minutes. This 'power' does not predict perfectly, it is simply an act of almost computer like calculating on the brains part, seeing in its imagination how things will play out for the next few minutes. -Know the Group Mind: Nazorean has a knack for judging the social situation upon entering it: whose in charge, the rivalries, enmities, alliances, tensions, etc. -Acute Memory: Character has perfect recall of facts, such as names, people, etc. He can recall the exact image of things he saw and take them apart, effectively studying them in his mind as if examining a photograph with his hands. A Nazorean with this level of skill would be the everliving equivalent of 3D image processor. -Kinesthetics: Character has perfect sense of his body, he can move and contort himself in ways no mortal could ever think too. -Mathamatical Memory: Nazorean can recall numbers even from many years ago, license plate numbers, codes, lock numbers, even passing numbers such as serial numbers on trucks and grates, etc. With this skill worked out to its fullest, he can even pull apart pages of computer binary code and decipher it, all with but a passing inspection. -Heightened Perception: Nazorean has phenomenal eyesight, he can notice small details others easily miss. He can pick out the fake rock with the key in it in the middle of a garden. He can pick out the single, exposed footprint while tracking in the middle of the Everglades, et cetera. -Perfect Pitch: Character's sense of noise and hearing is immaculate, he can detect even the slightest changes in pitch, sound or volume. While he is on the phone, he can tell what else is going on over the line just by the minor background noises. -Foretell Weather: Can sense minor changes in weather patterns that preclude larger changes, making it possible to judge the potential for storms, rain, clear skies, etc. For instance, he can feel a lessening of air pressure on his skin, so slight it would be imperceptible to others, thus informing him the pressure is dropping and a storm is forming. -Increased Hearing & Smell = Because of their bad vision in dim light, the Nazorean's other senses have heightened. He can detect faint smells and sounds much more easily. This is especially true with smell: he can detect what someone recently ate on the smell of their breath, the chemicals and objects in a room by the smell when he walks in, etc. The Risen & The Diaspora: In every age there is a group of Nazoreans who have asked questions and ended up breaking away from the mainstream church for it. The exact reasons change with every era, but at any given time there is a Diaspora away from the mainstream church over its practices or political alliances. These Nazoreans are called the Risen and they are separated from their brethren along political and practical grounds. Risen are still Nazoreans and share in all their traits (although they have a reputation for using Forbidden Names more than their mainstream brothers and sisters). Considered heretical by the leaders of the mainstream Church, the Risen often go off to found their own churches and groups. In time, of course, those churches gain numbers, become mainstream and eventually end up being the status quo. Then, eventually, fresh Risen break apart from them and start new groups. Many Nazoreans recognize this as the life cycle of churches and accept as part of God's natural order. It would be easy to characterize the Risen as Liberal, and the mainstream Church as Conservative, but this doesn't hold up in real life. Conservative, Liberal and other political titles can be found on both sides of the line between Nazoreans and Risen. The one thing that unites all Risen is that they came across a practice or politics they questioned, and couldn't find an answer for. In time that question forced them to break away from the parent body of Nazoreans. Risen are most likely to function in smaller groups, or as individuals. The recent rise of the 'Religious Nones' has seen their numbers explode, so much so that now there are enough Risen to challenge the traditional members of the Tribe in numbers alone. However, the Risen of today seem less interested in political takeovers than in finding their own path. The Great Families: Around the world there are families descended from the family of Jesus Christ. Those born into these bloodlines often exhibit minor supernatural abilities, especially a talent for prophecy. These are the Great Families, and they have woven themselves into the royal bloodlines, banking families and other important kinship across the world. Most of the branches of the Great Families are wealthy, landed and hold hereditary titles. The Nazoreans honor these families because of their ancestry. When in danger, they will move to help them. Conversely, Nazoreans can often expect help from a Great Family they have befriended. Athanasius and the Early Church: The early Xtrian Church faced several problems early on, plague, persecution, disbelief, heresy. But one of the greatest crises the first church faced was the heresy of Arianism which threatened to destroy the church's core nature, her belief in Christ. Arianism became so problematic that the early church fathers held an entire council at Nicaea to debate the issue once and for all. The pro-Christian faction was spear-headed by a church father who had been chased across the Roman Empire in the name of Christian faith. His name was Athanasius, and much of the saving of Biblical faith is due in no small part to his efforts. What intrigues Adepts so much about this man is his mysterious origins and name. In Greek, the name Athanasius simply means "the Immortal?" Playing A Nazorean: It's important to see Nazoreans as more than just Creators who happen to be Christian. Nazoreans have been fundamentally changed thanks to their link with Jesus of Nazareth. Adepts have imprints of God's Aspects on their souls, but the Nazoreans can be thought of as experiencing a complete and fundamental change to their entire being. And all of that because of their religious affiliation. That kind of thing tends to dominate a person's life, so playing a Nazorean will require being honest and open about one's Xtrian beliefs. Nazoreans & Ghouling: Ghouling, or running a story centered around a troup of Supernaturals, is a staple of Urban Fantasy stories. Nazoreans are perfect for using in Urban Fantasy stories alongside other Supernaturals because they provide people with a legitimate Supernatural who is from heaven but is also a part of the paranormal side of the world. Having a Nazorean interact with other 'monsters' is a great way to explore what exactly it means to be a Nazorean. Urban Fantasy Mythos Affiliates: -Church of the Resurrection -Fraternal Order of Builders -Knights Templar -La Quatro Leon -Thundering Legion -Witan Nazoreans / Omniverse / Logos: Nazoreans can travel the Omniverse like other Adepts. They acquire special Names of God that grant them the powers of Infinity Lords. Nazoreans are found across the Omniverse because the Patriarch of their Tribe is The Logos. The Logos is a concept used by Xtrians to prove Christ through natural theology. In simplistic terms, it states that God does an infinite amount of things in the infinite moment that is eternity. Part of that means existing as both Creator and created, infinite and finite, the essence of the two anyway. Both combined mysteriously. As part of natural theology, varying sentient races across the Omniverse have stumbled upon the Truth and become transformed into Nazoreans within their own time and place. After all, Jesus is the Word of God, and is active in all realms at all times. The Omniverse: The Omniverse is the collective of all of existence, the sea of infinity. It is a plethora of universes, dimensions and whatever else there is that is the home of countless civilizations. The Omniverse is the province of the Order of Watchmen, who watch and learn, and the Lords of Infinity, Creators who travel across the sea of infinity in their perpetual search for new things. To describe the Omniverse is usually to miss the point entirely. The Omniverse is the Absolute Infinity, that's really the best description anyone can think of for it. Using The Omniverse: Dimensional Travel on Superpower Wiki Disciples of Infinity: The Disciples of Infinity are Nazoreans who maintain monastic-like waystations throughout the Omniverse. They are built for the benefit of the Tribe as a whole and other Nazoreans can find allies, resources and information (as well as room and board). The Disciples of Infinity are a simple group of Nazoreans who maintain waystations. They do not form a fighting force (Nazoreans usually ingratiate themselves into local organizations for military help). Most Nazoreans quickly settle down into an adopted Realm and soon earn themselves a place among that regions law enforcement or military, so that they can help influence events for the better. Builders of Civilizations: Non-human Nazorean Adepts from other Realms, these ancient Nazoreans have built whole civilizations on previously barren worlds in their tribute to God. The Builders possess advanced technology and are often willing to lend wisdom and support to other Adepts they encounter. The Builders are not native to the Solaris Sector and are usually not encountered except on the fringes of the Sector. Other Adepts of the Omniverse: Lords of Infinity Order of Purgatory Order of Watchmen Skeptics of the Aether Loki's Children Destroyers of Oblivion Rift Wolves Journeymen Scribes Journeymen Seekers The Unorthodox Oculus Fallen Sectors: Celestial Sector: Ie, 'Heaven.' These Realms are places of Celestial paradise and enlightened culture. Known for being both peaceful and productive, the Celestial Sector is the homeland of all known Celestials. That includes Adepts, because Adepts are by definition a type of Celestials themselves. The Realms of the Celestial Sector are vast and majestic and Adepts could spend lifetimes trying to explore them and accomplish very little. The Infinite Library Infernalism Sector: This Sector comprises most of the Realms that are recognized as hell dimensions. These Realms are inhabited by Infernals, demons and arch demons and whatever is above all that. Satan himself is said to reside at the center of this Sector, a place called Cocytus, from which he leads the forces of Darkness. Only experienced and empowered Adepts should try to venture into the Infernalism Sector. It should be noted that one breed of Adepts in particular are empowered to traverse the Infernalism Sector. The Order of Purgatory are assigned by God to manage the souls of the dead and lead them to their afterlife. Apparently, they are protected by God and can travel this Sector largely unafraid. The Labyrinth The Reef Lokelus Sector: The Lokelus Sector are all those Realms that exist as part of the Dreaming, the quasi-dimensional place where the leftover energies of creation come to rest and take shape. These Realms are often very different from the more familiar Solaris Sector. They are often wild places of fantasy and potent magicks. They rarely develop advanced technology because these societies tend to come to be based on magick-use more than anything (there are exceptions, of course). Naturally, these Realms are predominantly inhabited by the Fey. The Wild Hunt Oblivion Sector: Oblivion appears to be a single Realm, but because there are no variations of this Realm and there is nothing else like it, Oblivion is considered both a Realm and its own Sector. Oblivion is considered by many to be the 'homeland' of the Order of Destroyers. For more info, please see Oblivion. Solaris Sector: Solaris Sector is our home Sector, the Sector that houses our own realm. Solaris is home to most of the other known Realms that most closely resemble our earth. The Orbs have spent untold eons mapping out as much of the Solaris Sector as they can, but there are still large swaths of frontier space present within the sector. A few of the more notable Realms within the Solaris Sector are... Alpha Solaris Dark Earth Davidic Kingdoms Empire of Ghosts Galactic Ecclesiarchy Heretics: Saints or Sinners Invocation Forsaken Earth Outremer Prolonged Reformation Reds & Blues Scorched Earth Status Pandemic The Bureau The Nexus Third Reich Tower of Babel Veiled Sector: What most people mean when they refer to the 'spirit world' is in fact the Veiled Sector. The Veiled Sector is difficult to travel because most of it is immaterial and not three-dimensional space. Still, those areas of the Veiled Sector close to earth are stable enough for human Adepts to travel. The Veiled Sector is where one is most likely to encounter the Order of Purgatory. Omniverse Terminology: -Advanced Technology = Advanced Tech is common among dimensionsal travelers. This is especially true for the Nazoreans who, since they are Creators, are naturally geared towards learning and progress. Spires are great places to acquire advanced tech for one's journey. -Alternate = Another version of someone or something from an alternate realm. Technically, all created beings are alternates to someone. -Anchoring = Navigation through the Omniverse is possible only through the use of networking between dimensions. By keeping track of realms visited a Nazorean can more safely build a rough 'map' of his little corner of infinity. -Biological Contamination = Traversing from one world to another is risky business. Specific pathogens and immunities shift and change according to each planet, so a Nazorean could accidentally take with him a lethal virus that he himself is immune to, but still end up dooming a world. Nazoreans themselves posses at least above average immune systems thanks to the energies of creation within their bodies. Names used to translate will also provide stable Portals that always have a built in biological filtration system that eliminates most carry on pathogens the Nazorean could be traveling with. -Black Zone = Also known as a Dead Zone, this is a dimension that is extremely dangerous. Visiting this place is almost gauranteed to result in death. Only the strongest and most experienced are supposed to visit such a place, if at all. -Fringe = Fringe is a serious form of Translation Error where a person's mind has been strongly affected by transitioning too quickly or too often in unsafe conditions. In its mild form a person simply starts to act weird or has emotional responses out of cue with what is socially expected behavior. But in sever cases a person will start to suffer delusions and mental fatigue. Not everyone gets a case of the 'Fringes,' it's almost always found in cases of people passing through Rifts that are too unstable too often. -Green Zone = Those realms whose laws and structure can support biological life are dubbed the 'Green Zone.' -Home Frequency = Normally, an Infinity Lord risks being lost in infinity if they lose their way. However, the Infinity Lords have learned that realms exist on their own 'frequency' and that each of them carries that home frequency within their own person. They can use that to return to their native realm when they get lost. -Neshama = Sentient races from other Realms have developed their own knowledge of the Infinite. Like humans, they differ from regular animals, they have morality and reason, and a deep sense of the spiritual. Many Nazoreans believe in the theory of the Neshama, that life evolves naturally until it reaches a stage where complex organisms can picture the basic idea of God, and that somehow grants true sentience on them. The capacity to know God is the cause of being given a soul or 'Neshama' according to this theology. Anything with a Neshama has the potential to become an Adept. Anything that studies metaphysics or knows of The Logos can become a Nazorean! -Omniverse = Everything that exists, both The Creator and all of His' creations. Absolute Infinity. -Portal = A stabilized passageway between realms. Portals also allow for discrete Translation, passing through the realms with ease and appearing in their desired location without any burst of light or sound or special effects like phenomenon. -Psychomachia = The Psychomachia is the inner struggle someone can have by traversing the sea of infinity. Rules of normalcy and expectation break down and it often requires a hardened and creative mind to keep a solid grip on reality. -Realm = A single dimension within the Omniverse is known as a Realm. Dimension, universe and Realm are normally used interchangeably. -Red Zone = A dimension or realm that is very dangerous. -Relative Similarity = A term used t describe the likeness or difference between Realms. Realms that are 'close' together will have few, barely noticeable differences. However, Realms far from one another will have many differences. Even within the same Sector you can have Realms that are vastly different. -Rift = A crude portal between different realms. Constructed either hastily or under duress, a Rift is potentially dangerous to travel through. -Sectors = Clusters of dimensions that are largely similar in make and appearance and have similar histories to them are often grouped and named as a 'Sector.' There are an infinite number of Sectors. -Shifting = An extreme form of Translation Error thanks to using Rifts too often, a Shifting is a temporary state where a traveler finds themselves physiologically or metaphysically changed. In most cases the change is minor, such as hair or skin color, clothing, etc. But in extreme cases a Creator could emerge from a Rift with a mutation or they could have been changed into another Order of Adept! Even these cases are temporary, however, and they usually fade away or disappear after the next Translation. This is because the imprint of God's Aspect on the Adept's soul quickly reverts them back to their true form. However, non-Adept beings may find themselves stuck in their new forms. -Strange Reality = This is a designation given by Orbs to Realms whose makeup or laws are quite bizarre. -The Word = A hypothetical construct of the sea of infinity (or portion of it) that exists based on a background 'noise.' The Word is seen as this organizing force generated by The Creator, often compared to the canvass a painter uses. Powerful and esoteric Infinity Lords have claimed to have discovered how to hear the Word perfectly and that they have in fact spoken directly with God. -Time Disparity = Not all realms within the same Sector progress at the same rate. In one dimension the year is 2015, while in a nearby one it's only 1750. Most realms usually progress at roughly the same speed, but traveling far and wide across the sea of infinity soon reveals just how fluid time really is. -Transdimensional Sightings = Strange encounters with other dimensional travelers, especially other Variant Creator Adepts from hitherto unknown realms. -Translation = The act of crossing from one realm into another is often called Translation. -Translation Errors = Different realms abide by different laws and develop along different paths. Because of this, traveling from one dimension to another may result in unintended consequences such as lost time due to a difference in the rate of time between realms. A Nazorean could leave and be gone a week, but for him the journey took a year or more. Such instances are normally few and far in between, but they are not unheard of. -Universal Translator = Special Names are used grant a Nazorean a new languages quickly and they share their knowledge with one another. -Warpcraft = Ships designed to travel through the Omniverse.